All across the country, and likely soon in our state of New Jersey, recreational marijuana us is likely to become legal in more and more places. That means that more couples than ever who are trying to conceive will be users. If you are one of them, should you be concerned?

Here is what we know now:

Does marijuana affect a woman’s fertility?

We know that pot can affect a women’s hormones and her menstrual cycle. Ovulation problems which are related to hormone imbalances are a very common cause for female infertility.

Does marijuana affect a man’s fertility?

The main test fertility doctors use to diagnose male infertility is a semen analysis. We have known for some time that marijuana can have an adverse effect on the most important things we check for in a semen analysis, the number of sperm present (the count), how well they are swimming (motility) and the percent of the sperm that are normally shaped (morphology). We also know that exposure to active ingredient in marijuana THC can cause the breakage of chromosomes and abnormalities in a methylation, a natural chemical process which is responsible for how the genetic material is expressed in the body. Again, we do not know if this directly harmful to a man’s ability to father children or may affect the health of those children.

Is marijuana safe for my baby once I am pregnant?

If you believe the studies in animals, marijuana is not safe for pregnant moms to take. Rats whose mothers were exposed to marijuana in utero were more likely to have cognitive and memory problems in multiple studies. We do not know if this is the case in humans though. Keep in mind that a century ago, alcohol was thought to be safe in pregnancy and it was even used by doctors as a treatment for premature labor. We know now that alcohol causes very specific and severe birth defects when taken during pregnancy.

Is marijuana safe to take when I am breastfeeding?

THC can be found in the breast milk for days after use. Whether this poses any risk to a newborn is not known.

What about extracts that are sold at dispensaries?

No one knows for sure if these preparations are more safe or less safe than whole marijuana smoked or eaten.

So, do I need to be concerned?

No one can say definitively that marijuana use is dangerous during pregnancy nor can it be said to be definitively safe. There are however lots of red flags that raise concern. Most prudent doctors will advise that you and your partner consider avoiding pot if a baby is in your near future